Target-trap



B. P. VICKERY.

TARGET TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25, Isla.

vPatented Mar. 1, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\\\\\\\lllll B; P. VICKERY.

TARGET TRAP.

APPucAIloN man Nov. 25. 19m.

Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

' 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2' 9m. m; MW. MNI

B. P. VICKERY.

`IAHGI'I' TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 25. 1918.

f. mm /M M .M JN mm. f .n m

NONI

UNITED ASTATES PATENT oFFic-E..

BENJAMIN P. VICE-ERY, OF BRADLEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T ELMER E.

PERKINS, A0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TARGET-rma?.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led November 25, 1918. Serial No. $3,552. i'

. To all whom 'it may concern: I

- operator who only need keep the magazine' Be it known that I, BENJAMI P. VICK- ERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradley, in the'county of Kankakee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target-Traps, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to target traps of the general class employed in throwing or` projecting flying targets commonly known' as clay pigeons for trap shooting.

One of the primary objects of my inven- 'tion is to provide a target trap which will be entirely automatic 1n its operation so that the pigeons or targets will be automatically ositioned on a throwing arm and automatically discharged or thrown by the arm which is .then automatically restored to set position to receive another target, all of these operations being performed automatically and without manipulation by the supplied with targets andr trip the device to produce the Hight of the target when the word or signal is given.

In target traps which have been employed prior to my invention, the direction or quarter which the target took in its Hight was under the control of the operator who could turn or point the trap in any directionthat lie desired. As the result, avoritism could be shown to one or more of the shooting participants by the operator who could direct the Hight of the targets for av particular participant in a predetermined direction. One of the objects and advantages of my invention resides in the fact that the operator has no control over the direction of Hight of the targets since the position of the trap is automatically and continuously chan ed so that the targets are projected into di erent' quarters which. can not be controlled or previously determined.

Another object of my invention is to pro.

vide a target trap which can, if desired, be power operated thus relieving the operator of the manual labor customarily involved in resetting and pointing 4the trap and which, because of its automatic operation. can be operated to discharge or deliver the pigeons in as rapid succession as may be desirable.

eration.

Y Still another object is to pro-vide improved mechanism for positioning and holding the target prior to its delivery and flight so that each target will be accurately positioned and held, thereby kinsuring 'an accurate flight for a predetermined distance Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

of each target irrespective of its direction or quarter of Hight.

Other objects and advantages of my invenion will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art as the invention Vbecomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aside `elevation of a target trap embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 shows the throwing arm in set position and the target positioning and holding mechanism in receiving and holding positions shown in dotted and full lines respectively.

' Fig. 5 shows both the throwing and loperating arms in set'position.

Fig- 6- is a plan View showing the target magazine and also showing the throwing arm in extended position.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal view taken just beneath the magazine.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the magazine the machine are carried by a base or pedes- .tal 12, in which is mounted in suitable bearings 13 a horizontally lprojecting powershaft 14 which may be rotated from any suitable source of power by an electric motor or otherwise, or, if preferred, may be equipped so as t0 me manually operated. The inner end of this shaft is provided with a bevel pinion 15 which meshes with and drives a beveled gear 16 fixed upon a vertical shaft 17 which is mounted at its lower end in a bracket 18..V This shaft, as will be manifest from Fig. 2, extends upwardly through the base-,portion of a bifurcated upright casting 19 which rests upon the base.

12 and is adapted to rotate or oscillate about the shaft 17 as an axis.`

This casting or member 19 is providedl with a forwardly projecting portion or arm 21 spaced sufficiently above the base 12 to permit the rotation of a crank 22 beneath the arm and is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 23 adapted to accommodate a pin 24 projecting upwardly from the crank 22. The crank is fixed up'on the upper end of a vertical shaft 25which is provided at its lower end and within the base with a large gear wheel 26 which meshes with and; is driven by a pinion 27 fixed on the shaft 17. It will .be manifest that as the crank slowly rotates, the. pin 24 traveling in the slot 23 will cause the upright member 19 to be oscillated back and forth about the shaft 17 as its axis, thereby automatically and'continuously changing the position and therefore the direction of throw of the target throwing mechanism carried by the upright 19.

- In the upright 19 there is rotatably mounted a shaft 28 carrying a-.bevel gear 295 which meshes with and is driven by a beveled pinion 31 fixed upon the upper end of the shaft 17 yThe ends-of the shaft 28 project laterally beyond the side members of the upright 19 and upon these projecting ends is pivotally mounted a supporting frame 32, preferably cast and shaped to straddle the upright member 19, as shown in Fig. 2. This frame extends forwardly and rearwardly from the pivot shaft and the 'elevation of its forward end may be varied by means of an adjustable support consisting of a pair of overlapping members 33 and 34 depending from the frame 32 and pivotally attached to the forward end of the extension 21 respectively, both of the members being provided with a longitudinal slot through which a clamping bolt 35 is disposed to rigidly clamp'the Ymembers together. To provide vagainst accidental slippage, the engaging faces of these members are serrated, as shown in Fig. 1, and 1t will be observed that upon loosening the nut on the bolt 35, the forward end of the retained lin frame 32 may be adjusted upwardly or downwardly into the required position for a purpose which will later be apparent.

To the rear end of the frame 32 there is rigidly secured, by bolts or otherwise, an upward extension 36 of the frame and from the upper end of this extension there eX- tends forwardly, parallel with the frame 32, a plate 37, upon which the magazine is carried, as will be later described. In the forward end of the frame 32 there is rotatably mounted an upwardly extending shaft 38, its upper end projecting through and being journaled in the forward end of the plate I 37, all as shown. in Fig. 1, the shaft being sition 'lagainst longitudinal displacement y collars-39 and 41 pinned to the lower and upper end respectively of the shaft. Immediately above the frame 32 there is disposed a spacing collar 42 upon which rests a bevel gear 43 rotatably mounted upon the shaft. The upper face of this gear, as will be evident from Figs. 10 and 11, is provided with a radial groove 44, having a vertical face or shoulder 45 and an inclined face 46, for a purpose which will later appear.

` Above the bevel gear 43 there is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 38, the power arm of the trap, which, as will be evident from Fig. 1, comprises lower and upper arm elements 47 and 48 respectively, disposed-in parallel spaced. relation and journaled at one end upon the shaft, 38 and rigidly connected together at their other ends by an element 49. preferably connected integrally with the element 47 and to which the arm element 48l is rigidly secured by bolts or screws 51. Between the pivoted ends of the power arm elements 47 and 48 there is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 38,l the throwing arm, which is designated generally by reference character 52, this throwing arm being provided with a downwardly extend.- ing collar 53 which gives an elongated bearing surface on the shaft, and similarly the power arm element 48 is equipped withv an upwardly extending collar or bearing portion 54, providing an elongated bearing on. the shaft 38. It will be manifest from the foregoing, that upon the shaft 38 there is rotatably mounted the bevel gear 43, the throwing arm 52 and the power arm by which the throwing arm is actuated in a manner to be later explained.

Attention is directed at this point to the fact that both the power arm and the throwing arm are adapted to be rotate about the shaft 38 in a counter-clockwise direction viewing Fig. 6, through a complete revolution, and that one of these arms may travel while the other remains stationary, since the only connection between the arms is a ricldarm elements 47 and 48 and attached at'one end to anl eye 56 on the connecting element- 49 and atits other vend by an adjustable link 57 to an extension 58 of the arm 52, which extension projects on the opposite side of the shaft 38 from the main portion of this throwing arm. Normally, the spring 55 would retain the power and throwing arms in the relative position shown in Figs. 1 and 6, but, by means of mechanismwhich will presentlybe explained, the an- A gularn relation of these arms is changed to place the power spring 55under a sufiicient tension to\impart to the throwing arm the impetus necessary to properly deliver the target in flight. To facilitate the changes in the angular relations of the power and throwing arms, thelink 57 is connected to the extension 58 of the throwing arm 52A by an angle shaped eye member 59 pivoted at 61 to the extension 58. The tension of the spring may be adjusted by the nut 62;

threaded on to the link 57, as will be apparent from Fig. 1. 1

The power arm of the apparatus is inter, mittently rotated about the shaft 38 by the bevel gear 43 which is continuously driven from the continuously rotalting `shaft 62 mounted in then frame 32 and equipped at its ends with beveled pinions 63 and 64 meshing respectively with the gears 29 and l connection-between this gear and the power arm, whereby the power arm is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction with the'gear. The throwing arm, being normally held by the power spring 55' at an angle of 180O with respect touthe position of the power arm, will be, 'as the power arm is rotated ...from the positiony shown in Fig. 1 throughk an angle of 180,.rotated through 180 from the throwing position shown in Fig. 1, to the set position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5'.

When the throwing armreaches this 'set position beneath the plate 37, its further rotative movement is arrestedby an abutment@ or latch 67, projecting through the upright frame member 36 and pivoted at V68v between ears carried on the inner face of this member, the latch being normally retained' in the postion shown inF ig. 1 vby a contrac-l tion spring 69 so that itis disposed in the pa abiiltment finger 71, carried by the end of the throwing arm. The latch is provided matica of travel of a downwardly projectingl with a downwardly projecting tail 72, which when pressed inwardly toward the frame member 36, will withdraw the abutment or stop portion of the latch from in front of the abutment finger 71, thereby releasing or tripping the throwing -arm for the purpose of discharging the target.

Assuming, for the moment, that the throwing arm has reached itsset position and is restrained against further .rotative movement1 by the latch 67, it will be observed that, as thegear 43 continues to rotate, the power arm by reason of its connection to the gear through the pawl 65, will continue its -rotative movement through the position shown in Fig. 4 and finally into the position shown in Fig. 5. During lthe travel of the power arm from its extended position in parallel relation to the throwing arm to its set position shown in Fig. 5, the power spring 55 will be gradually placed under tension as the result of theggradually increasing distance between the eye 56 and the pivot point 61, so that when the throwing arm is released from the latch`67, this lspring will actuate the throwing arm, or, in other words, will swing it with extreme rapidity from set to throwing position so as to deliver the target therefrom with considerable velocity.

Each time the throwing arm is brought to set position, a pigeon or target is autoly delivered from the magazine and properly positioned on the arm. .The magazine, as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 6 to 9. inclusive, comprises a vertically disposed receptacle 73 constructed in any preerred manner and mounted upon the plate v37, this magazine being adapted tov contain a stack ofsuperposed targets which are delivered from beneath, one at a time to the throwing arm as required. From Fig. 8 it veo will be apparent that the plate 37 is provided with a circular opening beneath the magazine 73 through which the targets may pass from the magazine onto the throwing arm. The stack of targetsis normally prevented from passing through this opening by a air of retainers 74 and 75 respectively, whic are pivoted to the under side of the plate at' 76 and 77 and are urged together by a connecting spring 78 against the two fixed stops 79 and 81 projecting downwardly from the plate 37 so that these retainers par- .tially underlie the ,opening through the plate beneath the magazine ,and preventl the targets from dropping out' through' this opening. To release the lowermost target the retainers 74 and 75 in the manner shown in Figs. 6 and 8, imparts a similar movement to the retainer 75 with the result that both retainersv are simultaneolsly moved in opposite directions, or, in other words, are separated from one another so as to permit the lowermost target in the magazine to drop out onto the throwing arm. A bar or guide- 84 of suitable shape is secured to the under face of the plate 37 so as to underlie the retainers 74 and 75 thereby supporting their inner ends and serving as a guide for them in their movements.

For the purpose of retaining the remainder of the targets in the magazine while the lowermost one is being delivered vto the throwing arm, -I have pivoted at 76 upon the top of the plate 37, a retainer 86, which extends alongside of the magazine and is equipped with a pair of rubber studs 87 and 88 adapted to engage through an opening in the side of the magazine with the next to the lowermost target, and, by pressing against the same to hold this and the superposed targets from dropping down with the lowermost one. A tractile spring 89 attached at one end to the retaining arm 86 and at its other to an adjustable eye 91 connected to a stud projecting upwardly from the plate 37,

normally urges the studs 87 and 88 into engagement with a target in the magazine. A ter the .lowermost target has been delivered to the throwing arm, the retaining arm 86 is moved outward' against the force of the spring 89 by mechanism, which will be later described, thereby permitting the stack to drop downwardly so that the lowermost target -is supported upon the retainers 74 and 75 whereupon the arm 86 is again restored by its spring 89 so as to engage and hold the second-lowest target in the magazine against movement. The targets are designated in Figs. Gand k9 by reference character 92.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be observed. that the throwing arm comprises a main portion made of sheet metal,

provided at its sides with upstanding flanges 93, terminating in inwardly disposed flanges 94. This structure provides a` channelshaped holder adapted to receive and retain a disk target. Intermediate the ends of the arm the inwardly projecting flanges 94 are removed for a distance to provide an open,- ing which, when the arm is disposed in set position, is alined with the magazine so that a target may drop from the magazine through this opening onto the arm.

At its outer end, a notch 95 is formed at one corner of the arm and a retaining abutment in the form of a roller 96, preferably 'made of rubber and projecting upwardly from a lever 97, pi'voted at 98 to the lower side of .the arm, is normally retained in the said notch lby a tractile spring 99 attached end to an adjustable eye 101. This abutment 96 normally lies in the path of a disk target disposed on the arm and serves to limit the outward movement of the target until the centrifugal force, resulting from the rapid swinging movement of the arm upon its release from set position, becomes suiicient to force the target outwardly thereby displacing the retaining roller 96 against the force of its spring 99. The spring is adjusted by means of the adjusting nut 102 upon the eyelink 101 so that the release of the target occurs at a predetermined point in the travel of the arm, thereby insuring a uniform velocity of each target at its moment of discharge from the arm. As the target leaves the arm, a rotary whirling motion is im parted to it as the result of the friction between the periphery of thetarget and the abutment 96. lThis rotary movement of the target insures accuracy and uniformity of iiv'ht.

In order to obviate fracture of the fragile tar et and to insure accuracy of flight, it is deslrable that'each target be accurately positionedon the throwing arm in contact with the retaining abutment 96 before the arm ,is released. To accomplish this result, I have provided a positioning mechanism consisting of a pusher 103 reciprocable longitudinally upon the arm, together with mechanism for withdrawing the pusher inwardly beyond the point at which the targets are delivered tothe arm and subsequently returning the pusher so as to move the target, which has been delivered to the arm from the magazine, outwardly into engagement with 'the retaining abutment 96, and to then hold the target in this position; This mechanism is perhaps best dlsclosed in Figs. 4 and 5, from which it will be observed that upon a fulcrum 104, upon the upper face of the arm 52, there is pivoted a lever 105 connected at its outer end by a link 106 with' the v pusher 103. A light tractile spring 107 atin Figs. 4 and 5, where it holds a target in engagement with the retaining abutment 96, Forthe purpose of retracting the pusher to permit the delivery of a--target from the magazine to the holding arm in the manner hereinbefore explained, I have mounted upon tthe inner end ofthe power arm element 48, a laterally projecting actuator 109' and upon the lever 105 I have provided an upstanding pin or boss 111, which is disposed in. the. path of 'travel of the downwardl extending portion of the actuator 109. hen the power arm, in the course of its revolutiomhas brought the throwing arm 115 in its extended position shown in full lines UNITED ASTATES PATENT oFFic-E..

BENJAMIN P. VICE-ERY, OF BRADLEY, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T ELMER E.

PERKINS, A0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TARGET-rma?.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led November 25, 1918. Serial No. $3,552. i'

. To all whom 'it may concern: I

- operator who only need keep the magazine' Be it known that I, BENJAMI P. VICK- ERY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bradley, in the'county of Kankakee and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Target-Traps, of which the following is a specification.-

This invention relates to target traps of the general class employed in throwing or` projecting flying targets commonly known' as clay pigeons for trap shooting.

One of the primary objects of my inven- 'tion is to provide a target trap which will be entirely automatic 1n its operation so that the pigeons or targets will be automatically ositioned on a throwing arm and automatically discharged or thrown by the arm which is .then automatically restored to set position to receive another target, all of these operations being performed automatically and without manipulation by the supplied with targets andr trip the device to produce the Hight of the target when the word or signal is given.

In target traps which have been employed prior to my invention, the direction or quarter which the target took in its Hight was under the control of the operator who could turn or point the trap in any directionthat lie desired. As the result, avoritism could be shown to one or more of the shooting participants by the operator who could direct the Hight of the targets for av particular participant in a predetermined direction. One of the objects and advantages of my invention resides in the fact that the operator has no control over the direction of Hight of the targets since the position of the trap is automatically and continuously chan ed so that the targets are projected into di erent' quarters which. can not be controlled or previously determined.

Another object of my invention is to pro.

vide a target trap which can, if desired, be power operated thus relieving the operator of the manual labor customarily involved in resetting and pointing 4the trap and which, because of its automatic operation. can be operated to discharge or deliver the pigeons in as rapid succession as may be desirable.

eration.

Y Still another object is to pro-vide improved mechanism for positioning and holding the target prior to its delivery and flight so that each target will be accurately positioned and held, thereby kinsuring 'an accurate flight for a predetermined distance Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

of each target irrespective of its direction or quarter of Hight.

Other objects and advantages of my invenion will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art as the invention Vbecomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is aside `elevation of a target trap embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the construction shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 shows the throwing arm in set position and the target positioning and holding mechanism in receiving and holding positions shown in dotted and full lines respectively.

' Fig. 5 shows both the throwing and loperating arms in set'position.

Fig- 6- is a plan View showing the target magazine and also showing the throwing arm in extended position.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal view taken just beneath the magazine.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the magazine 7'. In a target trap, the combination of rotatable concentrically mounted power and throwing arms, a connection between said arms whereby the throwing arm is actuated from said power arm, means for rotating the power arm, and meansactuated by the power arm for automatically delivering a target to said throwing arm when said throwing arm is in setl position. 8. In a target trap, the combination of a target magazine, a throwing arm mounted to rotate through a complete circle, apower arm mounted concentrically with said throwing arm, means for positively rotating said power arm, means for locking said throwing arm in position beneath said magazine, and means actuated by said power arm for automatically deliverin a target from said magazine to said throwing arm.

9. In a target trap, the combination of a target magazine, 4a throwing arm mounted to move beneath said ma azine, a power arm connected with said t rowing arm andv means actuated by said power arm for delivering a target from said magazine to said throwing arm.

10. In a target trap, the combination of a target magazine, a throwing arm adapted to 'be locked in set position beneath said' magazine, a retainer for supporting the lowermost target in said magazine, a power arm adapted to actuate said throwing arm, means carried by said ower arm for moving' said retainer to re ease the lowermost target in said magazine, means for retaining the remainder of the targets in the magazine upon release of said lowermostA target, and a device carried by said power arm for actuating said last mentioned means to4 ermit the targets to feed downwardly in t e magazine. I

11. In a target trap, the combination of a target magazine, a throwing arm adapted to be. positioned beneath said magazine, a power arm. for actuating said throwing arm, and means controlled by said power arm for feedin .one target only from said magazine to sai throwing arm .subsequent `to each movementof said throwing arm to set position.

l12. In a target trap, the combination of a 'throwing arm, means for delivering a target thereto. remote from the end thereof, a pusher reciprocable longitudinallv on said arm and means for actuating said pusher for positioning and holding a target in predetermined position near the end of said then move outwardly on the arm to osition and hold said target near 'the end of t e arm. 14. In a target trap, the combination of a magazine, a rotatable throwing arm'adapted to be locked in set position beneath said magazine, a power arm connected with said throwing arm, a pusher mounted on said throwing arm, means carried by the power arm for moving said pusher inwardlyof the throwing arm when'in set position, means for delivering a target from said magazine to said arm and means for moving said pusher outwardl `on the arm to position said target near t e outer end of said throwving arm. A

15. In a target tra the combination of a throwing arm, a yieldingly mounted abutment carried by said arm at its outer end, Ameans for delivering a target to said arm remote from said abutment, and means for moving said target longitudinally of-the arm into engagement with said stud.

16. In a target trap, the combination of a rotatable throwin arm, a yieldingly mounted abutment carried at the outer end therelof, a pusher reciprocable longitudinally of BENJAMIN P. vioKiiar.l 

